Conference Carolinas Casebook Interpretations

CONSTITUTION

Article III

Question: When may a perspective member apply for membership?

Ruling: An accredited senior institution may apply at any time through the President's office following established procedure in Appendix G of the Bylaws. A non-accredited institution may submit an application in like manner subsequent to accreditation approval.

Article V, Section D

Question: Is it permissible to have a designated official representative?

Ruling: Yes: Each of the three official representatives may designate another "representative in his stead via a signed statement."  Presidents though are required to have attended at least 4 of the previous 6 conference meetings to retain voting privileges when absent from a conference meeting.

BYLAWS

Article V, Section A

Question: A student athlete transfers within the conference using the exception in Bylaws, Article V,A. What can the student do and what can't the student do during the "calendar year"?

Ruling: The student must attend the second league member as a full time student for the academic year. The student may not receive athletic aid and may not travel with the team.  The student may practice in the sport(s) previously played at a conference member.

Question: What constitutes participation at the previous conference institution as it pertains to bylaws, Article V, A?

Ruling: Participation takes place when the student triggers the use of a season of competition, regardless of whether the student receives a hardship waiver.  This includes representing the institution in any contest against outside competition, regardless of how the competition is classified (e.g., scrimmage, exhibition or joint practice session with another institution's team). 

Article VI, Section A

Question: At our institution, we have more than one rate for the cost of a room. what rate is used to determine the amount of a full grant-in-aid?

Ruling: To determine the amount of a full grant-in-aid for purposes of the league maximum and minimum grant-in-aid requirements the NCAA rules for tuition, room, board and books is used.  However the individual student's athletic grant-in-aid maximum amount is the aggregate of his/her tuition, room, board and general fees.  Further, this shall be the basis for computing non-dormitory grant-in-aid amounts and limitation.

Question: What can be included in general fees? Are parking and special course fees included?

Ruling: Fees that are assessed are assessed all students and printed in the current catalog. The parking and special course fees (laboratory, scuba, semester abroad, graduation) are not included as they are not required of all students.

Question: May a student exceed conference financial aid limitations when working at an on-campus or off-campus job?

Ruling: The student may not exceed conference financial aid limitations when working on-campus. However he/she may exceed the limitations through bonafied off-campus employment.

Question: A student-athlete receives a combination of financial aid and athletic grant-in-aid moneys constituting a full grant-in-aid during the regular school year. May he receive additional need-based financial aid for summer session expenses?

Ruling: No. In compliance with Article III, Section A - 4, the student receiving athletic grant-in-aid moneys may not during the calendar year receive a combination of financial aid moneys that exceeds printed catalog costs or need demonstrated via a federally approved system of needs analysis.

Question: May athletic grant-in-aid money be used in any circumstances for summer session expenses?

Ruling: No.

Question: What is the definition of the minimum number of grants-in-aid?

Ruling: A conference member must have available for distribution the minimum number of grants-in-aid.  The actual number used may be less than the minimum based on coaches utilization.  When in question, the commissioner may require confirmation from a  member financial aid administrator.

Oral interpretation concerning Track and Field and additional 3.8 athletic grants-in-aid 

Question: In what circumstances may the additional 3.8 scholarships be used?

Answer: Eligibility for the use of the additional 3.8 scholarships is based on the use of maximum scholarship limitations in the foundational sports of cross country, soccer, women's volleyball, basketball, golf, tennis, and softball. Further the 1.9 additional men's scholarships and the 1.9 additional women's scholarships may not be applied to basketball, lacrosse and track and field. Note that members sponsoring cross country but not Track & Field may use the additional scholarship aid.

Article VI, Section A - 2a

Question: A student receiving full athletic grant-in-aid assistance is eligible for an institutionally administered loan. May he accept the loan?

Ruling: No. The loan is part of the total financial aid package. Because he receives athletic grant-in-aid moneys, the total financial package cost may not exceed printed catalog costs.

Question: A student without American citizenship and without a work visa wishes to exceed financial aid limitations through on-campus employment and/or specially designated funds. May he do so?

Ruling: No.

Question: Is working in an institutionally sponsored camp considered campus employment?

Ruling: No.

Question: My institution does not allow coaches to offer the conference maximum scholarship amounts in all conference sponsored sports. May we, in a sport that does have the maximum, use any of the permissible additional grant-in-aid identified in Bylaw Article VI, A,2 to exceed the conference maximum in that sport?

Ruling: No - The member must offer the conference maximums in all conference sports it sponsors to use this provision

Question:  According to conference bylaws, an institution must be offering the maximum athletics scholarships in all sports to utlize the additional 3.8 scholarships.  Does this include men's and women's lacrosse which was legislated subsequent to this rule?

Ruling:  No, men's and women's lacrosse is excluded.

Article VII, Section B

Question: Does the Commissioner have the authority to place on probation and/or suspend a coach from a specific number of contests?

Ruling: Yes. This is an available option when an institution's representative exhibits behavior deemed to be professionally inappropriate. The involved institution shall be notified prior to publication of the infraction and may appeal to the executive committee.

Question:  During a conference contest in any sport a game official incorrectly applies a rule misinterprets a rule or makes an incorrect judgment.  May this be protested?

Ruling:  No.  League policy is that game officials have complete control of games and rule matters.  The decisions of game officials will stand.

Question:  My softball team started to travel to a conference game that was then postponed.  Can we reschedule that game(s) for league standings purposes?

Ruling:  No.  Conference policy requires that subsequent to contest expenditure (travel mileage) the game(s) will not be played.